Rule Five Draft and Holiday spirit

The meetings come to a close today and the news out of Indy is that the Nationals took Jamie Hoffmann in the Rule Five draft. Ned told the media today that he’d be comfortable with a healthy Jason Repko as the fourth or fifth outfielder and I know there are a lot of Repko fans in LA, myself included. He’s a great kid with a lot of talent and hopefully he’ll be healthy in 2010.

Back in Los Angeles today, Matt Kemp and Ramon Troncoso are attending our holiday party for local underserved youth, which is a tradition that goes back about a quarter century. I’m bummed to be missing it, as it’s always a very cool thing to see these kids’ faces light up when they might not otherwise get to experience the holidays in this fashion.

My next post will be back when I get to Los Angeles but I wouldn’t worry too much that no moves got made at the meetings. I know how much everyone loves to see their team make moves at this time of year, but in general, it was pretty quiet for many teams. But, a lot of groundwork gets laid here and acted upon in the coming weeks. The important thing to remember, as far as I’m concerned, is that we’re not re-creating a whole team. We’re trying to add a pitcher or two and perhaps a second baseman and we’ll be right back to where we were last season – competing for the division title and hopefully, taking the next step to advance past the NLCS and into the World Series. And as you recall, the second baseman and pitcher that we’re trying to replace were signed in February/March last year, so there’s still plenty of time before the Opening Day roster will be complete.

From Buster Olney of ESPN at the Winter Meetings:
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And then there were the Dodgers.

There were trades and more than a dozen signings here. New Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos impressed his peers with the way he is preparing for a trade of Roy Halladay. Almost 200 free agents are looking for jobs. But the Dodgers are really the biggest story of these winter meetings, by doing nothing. “It’s incredible that you have one of the most storied franchises in all of baseball, and they’re not even involved in talk for the best free agents,” one agent said wistfully.

Imagine Bill Clinton going into a conference on health care and saying nothing. Imagine Al Gore going to a summit on global warming and uttering no words. Imagine George W. Bush at a roundtable on terrorism and remaining silent.

hey messagebear, i am with you. I have notice your strong negativity lately and im there with you. Mcturd if a big fat torn that wont go away. He is a coward that hasn’t shown his face lately..anyone notice that?..I would be surprise if he shows up at the annual x-mas party today……he is a coward…that has lied to all us Dodger fans.

Yanks to pick Hoffmann first in Rule 5 draft
INDIANAPOLIS — Barring a last-second trade, the Yankees plan to take outfielder Jamie Hoffmann from the Dodgers as the first pick in this morning?s Rule 5 Draft, the Post has learned.

The Yankees obtained the pick earlier this week from the Nationals in exchange for Brian Bruney.

The Yanks are not often viewed as a team that can stash a player on the 25-man roster for an entire season. But for the price of $50,000, they will see if Hoffmann can stick around as a reserve.

Hoffmann is 6-foot-3, 210 pounds and was taken in the eighth round of the 2003 NHL draft by the Carolina Hurricanes. He has been in the Dodger system since 2004.

The Yankees view him as an above-average fielder across the outfield with very good ? but not elite ? speed. The 25-year-old righty swinger played in the majors for the first time last season, appearing in 14 games, going 4-for-22 with one homer and seven RBIs. Ideally for the Yankees, he would be a late-game defensive specialist who could also pinch-run ? a bigger, stronger, but slower version of Brett Gardner, who does have options and could be sent back to the minors in 2010.

Hoffmann played in 97 games between Double- and Triple-A last year, hitting .291 with a .390 on-base percentage. He had 10 homers, 64 RBIs and stole 15 bases, but was caught 11 times. He also walked (54) nearly as much as he struck out (55).

INDIANAPOLIS — Barring a last-second trade, the Yankees plan to take outfielder Jamie Hoffmann from the Dodgers as the first pick in this morning?s Rule 5 Draft, the Post has learned.

The Yankees obtained the pick earlier this week from the Nationals in exchange for Brian Bruney.

The Yanks are not often viewed as a team that can stash a player on the 25-man roster for an entire season. But for the price of $50,000, they will see if Hoffmann can stick around as a reserve.

Hoffmann is 6-foot-3, 210 pounds and was taken in the eighth round of the 2003 NHL draft by the Carolina Hurricanes. He has been in the Dodger system since 2004.

The Yankees view him as an above-average fielder across the outfield with very good ? but not elite ? speed. The 25-year-old righty swinger played in the majors for the first time last season, appearing in 14 games, going 4-for-22 with one homer and seven RBIs. Ideally for the Yankees, he would be a late-game defensive specialist who could also pinch-run ? a bigger, stronger, but slower version of Brett Gardner, who does have options and could be sent back to the minors in 2010.

Hoffmann played in 97 games between Double- and Triple-A last year, hitting .291 with a .390 on-base percentage. He had 10 homers, 64 RBIs and stole 15 bases, but was caught 11 times. He also walked (54) nearly as much as he struck out (55).

I don’t want to hear the BS about how we can fill the holes in Feb. and March – those will be the worthless PVL’s that nobody else wants. By the way, is Sweeney still around? If we sign him, at least we won’t have to develop a new “hate” relationship with some new PVL; we already know Sweeney’s shi*.

The only thing we really want to hear is when Frank will
SELL THE TEAM.

Spin things any way you want Josh, but the apparent fact remains, Frank doesn’t have the wherewithall to acquire evan a decent FA OR the money to sign a first round and sandwich pick. We know it. The league knows it.

Could it have always been that other teams always put the screws to Ned regarding trades because they know Frank can’t afford what he’s already got? The “haves” way of sticking it to Frank because he’s the wannabe?

The bright side is, maybe this will actualy be the year at the trade deadline when we shed PVLs instead of acquire them.

I hear ya Kahli. I’ve always advocated quality over quantity. Its just that other teams have the ability to add quality because their ownership puts them in that position. Ours puts us in a position where we do end up with the Estes and Vargas’ and Miltons of the world. Our ownership puts us in a position where we give up top prospects where a middling one would do because Frank can’t afford the salary of a Blake or a Ramirez. Our ownership puts us in a position where they can’t offer type A FAs arbitration so we can’t even get draft picks for fear of having to pay the player or pay the draftee.

I hope you’re right in that they can’t even add PVLs this year and totally go with the kids. Hell I hope they shed Blake and Furcal and Manny at the trade deadline and totally rehabilitate the farm system because let’s face it, its pitching that carries you all the way to the top and no matter what they do for PVLs or rookies, it ain’t gonna cut it this year.

Believe it or not, I see this McCourt mess as the glass being half full: No money for crappy PVLs?no money to enhance Scott Boras? estate, no dumb Ned trades to bankrupt the farm?yet, anyway. The batting order is in tact (I?ll take DeWitt over Hudson or Belliard), Manny can?t possibly be any worse than last year, the core youth is only a year stronger, wiser and better. Pitching is in no worse shape than last year at this time?maybe better. Bullpen with Sherrill more defined, Kershaw and Billingsley primed to improve on what I considered a good year for both. No Milton, Estes, Vargas, ad nauseum. Elbert will be a fine 5th starter and Ned will dig something up for JP as the #4. So I say??RELAX.

Kidding aside Khali, you’re giving our friend Ned too much credit. Wolf and Castro didn’t exactly break the bank last season, so don’t be surprised to see the usual haul of PVL’s at Camelback again this year.

So I read where we shed $42 mil in payroll from last year and they expect half of that to be used for raises to the 9 in arbitration. That leaves $21 mil to replace the other 10 spots on the 25 man roster. Betcha we’ll land us an impact player with that kinda money to throw around.

scott, I’m giving Ned absolutely NO CREDIT. Standing pat might be the best trade/transaction/signing he ever made! I keep harking back to Campanis. How in the world did he get Reggie Smith for Joe Ferguson…soon-to-be Cy Young winner Mike Marshall for an aging Willie Davis…Jerry Reuss for Rick Rhoden…Burt Hooton for Geoff Zahn…Claude Osteen for Frank Howard…then parlaying an aging Osteen into Jimmy Wynn…and Wynn into Dusty Baker. Keeping players through their prime, and then shipping them off as they aged for other players in their prime, and on and on. Look who has followed: Ned Colletti, Paul DePodesta, Dan Evans, Kevin Malone, Fred Claire…the who’s who of “who’s that?” Campanis was fired in mid 1987. The Dodgers’ last championship was 1988. Doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots. BAD GMs all…………….

From latest Colletti Winter Meetings article:
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Goals accomplished: They didn’t spend any money. And Colletti said the three days of meetings held with his advisers were constructive.
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No joke! ***Didn’t spend any money***
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Maybe Dodger fans should have the same goal until McCheap sells the team?

I like to be optimistic, but it’s hard to be optimistic when your team is standing pat after losing two years in a row to a team that not only has Cliff Lee, but is pushing hard to acquire Halladay as well.

“I never let on that I was on a sinking ship
I never let on that I was down”
– Smashing Pumpkins, “ZERO”

northstates, I guess I feel either the kids step up and become stars…or the Dodgers continue to wallow in their 20+ years of misery. No mercenary is going to ride to the rescue and make a huge difference. MartinLoneyKempEthierBillingsleyKershawBroxton IS the Dodgers. It’s their time. They either step up…or get out of the way. Personally, I think they are at the crossroads of greatness. It’s up to them now…not Ned or Frank or Jamie or Joe or Honeycutt or Duncan or me or you.

I’m sorry but I would not be horribly sad if Loney got traded for someone with some pop. With the down year Manny had last year I think it shows we still have a hole in power hitting. I do think Manny will have a really good year this year, baseball players seem to always have good years in contract years. Since he will be playing for what will likely be his last contract I think he will so really well. I was excited last year when they were floating around a possible Adrian Gonzalez trade. I think our Dodgers are a good team, shoot a really good team, about good enough to finish second in the NL. This team showed they are not good enough to push past that and I think an impact player could push us over that hump. LA fans deserve it, shoot the players deserve it.

Hello everyone I hope all is well in ITD land…It has been a while since I posted. Just to add my 2 cents (2 more than McCourt has) why even send the team to the meetings. It is obvious that McCourt has no intention of spending money..Not to offer Wolf arbitration was a moronic move on the Dodgers part. No way he would have accepted, he wanted a multi year deal after pitching the last 3 years on one year contracts…

As for Ned trying to get Halladay…be serious, do you think he even made an offer or just called in so we think he is doing something. If we had pulled the trigger last July on him or Lee we may be the WS champs…

It is sad to see the team so close and we have an owner and soon to be EX fighting over it…I agree with the post about Josh spinning it anyway you want, the bottom line is we are in deep kimshu with our current set up…I think McCourt thinks if he puts a competitive team out that is enough…IT IS NOT, we want to WIN a WS not just make the playoffs…

Kahli, I agree with what you are saying. I have said many times there is a connection between the Dodgers “falling from grace” and the firing of Al Campanis. The Dodgers played in the World Series in every decade from the 40’s to the 80’s, last winning in 1988. We all know how many playoff games the Dodgers have won since.

Jamie Hoffman had a short stay with the Nationals. He is headed to the Bronx, wearing pinstripes and will probably be a superstar! Unless, of course, the Yankees are going to trade him to somebody else who needs a young player with a bright future.

Good evening ITD boys and girls!
I know, I know it’s been a LONG time since I last posted. Too long for my taste. But I read ITD almost daily (with, perhaps the exception of the last few days).

I must say this about the Dodgers’ situation. The way it’s shaking out, to be honest, is not a surprise to me. I’m not saying I’m happy about it, but it’s not a surprise to me. Ever since news of the McCourt’s breakup was made known, I thought that the Dodgers would not have the financial wherewithal to sign this FA or that FA, or trade for that player and be able to sign him to a contract extension (guess who I’m talking about? Hmm…)

I guess I’m saying that I’m with Kahli. I too will take DeWitt over Hudson or Belliard. I’ve wanted this for a LONG time. And if the back end of the rotation is filled by the likes of McDonald, Elbert, Stults, etc., well then, that’s fine. I still think that this makeup might do our team good.

Well said CP!!! I’m with you and Kahli!!! Play the Kids!!! No reaction from Ned is better than a knee jerk, desperate reaction. We saw what happened with that a couple of years ago when he took over from DePodesta!!!

CP, you, your family, and your new business venture are in my thoughts and prayers!!! Also you Nelly and the baseball school!!! In french, your sentiments CP are: C’est La Vie!! Not much snow Nelly, just very cold!!!!

Yeah Jhall, I too think that a sale of the Dodgers is imminent too, and I don’t even want to think of what that process is going to be like. For me, I try to avoid messy situations as much as possible. I mean, I personally am not involved with that (nor would I like to be) process. For me, whatever happens, happens. And how do you spell that in french???

My husband and I were watching the Browns/Steelers game and the announcers were telling us how cold it was in Cleveland! Sorry bud, but I’ll take my So Cal “cold snap” any day of the week! 🙂

My Nellygirl! It’s always great to see you too! I’ll keep y’all appraised as to how things go with my new venture! Actually, I MAY have my first client actually! It’s a friend of mine from the hospital – you know, my other volunteering gig? Well, this friend is looking to get his own business, and he asked me if I would be willing to help organize him! He still needs to talk to a lot of people before his business gets off the ground, but he’s looking to me to help him get organized! But yes, I’m still looking at other small businesses for other clients.

Glad there seems to be a consensus to play the kids. Manny was brought in to teach the youngsters how to run a proper race. Then Manny fell down. Time for the kids to take the baton and RUN WITH IT!!!! I have every confidence they will. In reality, they have very little choice. And what one fan might see as management paralysis, another might see as a vote of confidence in the maturing young stable. As always, reality lies somewhere in the gray middle.

I believe Frank McCourt owes it to the fans of Los Angeles, as well as to every person who was ever been involved with the storied Los Angeles Dodgers, to issue a statement about the state of this team. Even if it’s all fluff and PR, we can at least “read” his body language and count the sweat beads on his forehead. Hiding in silence helps nothing, least of all his season ticket sales. FRANK???????????????????? Where for art thou?????

The idea that we’re somehow going to sign up our young prospects for a longer period of time beyond their arbitration years is ludicrous. That may be appealing to some talent that wants to lock in at say $5 million a year for five or six years to guard against injury or some other setback. Top notch talent does not do that if they’re properly advised – they can get the $5 – $8 million a year through arbitration and then be in line to sign that $50 – $100 million or more contract when they become FA’s. In Andre and Matt we have that top notch talent. They’d have to be crazy to listen to any proposal by Ned at this stage and especially with our current ownership. I’d hold out for the first opportunity to sign with somebody who’s in this game to WIN.

Now that the Dodgers have turned overall management over to a financial guy, I don’t know why we even pretend to keep people like Logan White and Ng around. What does judgment of on the field talent matter anymore? The only future that Frank is concentrating on in addition to just keeping ownership of the team is to see what value he can derive from the 360 acres of real estate around the Stadium once this recession is over. Might as well get some smart accountants instead of White and Ng to complement Ned, who’s a do nothing mouthpiece for this sorry state of ownership.

“That the Dodgers’ entire haul for the winter meetings consisted of two pitchers who have never pitched above double A — three, counting minor leaguer Raul Burgos — is a sign of stability”, Colletti said.
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A man that can spin like that deserves a position in Washington.

And that led to my most recent contribution to the Times Letter Section. Too bad it probably won’t make it to the press, it’s too late in the week.

“Bill Plaschke’s Friday column on the Dodgers and their money woes hit the nail right on the head. All Dodger fans need to be very concerned about an owner who has the highest attendance in Major League Baseball, yet continually cries the budget blues. C’mon, you’re really worried about a 1-year, $13 million contract for Randy Wolf? Everybody and their brother knows that Wolf wanted a multi-year deal, so the reasoning that lead to not offering him arbitration does not fly.

Us Dodger fans need to realize that, despite the #1 attendance in the #2 TV market, we’re a second-tier organization now. Just like the Pirates or the Royals.

Actually if the McCourts had any common sense smarts, they would sell the team now, while the franchise is still worth a record price. Their divorce will do nothing but devalue this asset, at least psychologically, and even before they ride the team into the ground by doing nothing to keep it competitive. Once their financial plight becomes inevitable and even more apparent on the surface, prospective buyers will not bid top dollar, and if they have to lose the franchise to the lenders, then forget getting any reasonable value. It could be just like another one of the foreclosures. Anybody want the Bank of America to wind up owning this team?

I see the mood hasn’t changed around here much. Maybe Frank should take into consideration all the cranky and unhappy fans he will have. Nevermind…………………….we are just the fans, and it seems like these days it’s the last thing he is thinking about.

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